A Very Simple Recipe for the Perfect Job Search

Whether you’re looking to move up or just move on in your career, starting a job search can be daunting, especially in the digital age. There are so many websites, platforms, services, and tools, it can be hard to even know where to start.

Below is a simple step-by-step approach to conducting a high-quality job search so that you can stop wasting time in confusion, and start down your new career path sooner.

1. Know your goals before you begin.
   Are you looking for a promotion? Just looking to work for a different company? Hoping to move into a new field?  Set out some goals before you begin your job search — even if you are currently unemployed — to help direct your efforts.
2. Polish your resume.
   Keep your resume short and succinct.  Eliminate filler words and phrases. Format it cleanly, and use a strong objective statement up top so that potential employers can get a sense of you in the 6–10 seconds they take to scan your resume.
3. Update your LinkedIn profile.
   LinkedIn has gone from being a nice resource to an essential job-hunting tool. Be sure to include keywords in your title that will stand out to recruiters and interviewers. Fill out your profile completely and use a professional headshot.  Give your other social media profiles a quick once-over and make sure you look professional to an outside search.
4. Personalize everything.
   When applying for any job, do your due diligence and personalize your resume, cover letter, work examples and references you provide to the job and company you’re applying to. Many people are including work samples, blog posts, or articles with their resume to help them stand out. Keep an organized folder of documents that you can easily personalize each time you send them out.
5. Maximize your time on job boards.
   Data shows that job boards are one of the least effective ways of getting a job. Don’t apply for a position unless your qualifications meet 80–85 percent of the requirements. In addition, focus your efforts on smaller niche or regional job boards and job search aggregators like Indeed.com or SimplyHired.com.
6. Schedule time for job hunting.
   Whether you’re currently employed or not, you’ll need to schedule time for job hunting like any other task in your day. Make a list of daily tasks, like checking job boards, networking, and following up, and do them at a set time. Treat your job hunt like a job itself.
7. Reward yourself and take breaks.
   Job hunting can feel relentless and, if you’re not having much luck initially, can feel like a lot of rejection. Instead of focusing on what you haven’t achieved, look at what you have. Keep a record of how many jobs you apply for and emails you send out, and celebrate the progress.  If things don’t seem to be working, take a break and reassess your goals, tweak your resume, update your profiles again and take another swing at it. 

What advice would you include in this job search recipe?  Have you conducted a successful search lately? What do you think was the key to your success?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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Thank you for reading my post. I regularly write about management, technology 
as well as the mega-trend that is Big Data for LinkedIn and Forbes. If you would like to read my regular posts then please click 'Follow' and feel free to also connect via Twitter, Facebook and The Advanced Performance Institute.

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About : Bernard Marr is a globally recognized expert in big data, analytics and enterprise performance. He helps companies improve decision-making and performance using data. His new book is Data: Using Smart Big Data, Analytics and Metrics To Make Better Decisions and Improve Performance. You can read a free sample chapter here.

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